New Year, New Standards: Setting FM Goals for 2026

How to transform your facilities management strategy and achieve measurable results this year

January is here, and with it comes the perfect opportunity for a fresh start.

If your facilities management didn't quite meet expectations in 2025, you're not alone. Many businesses struggle with inconsistent cleaning, poor communication, mounting costs, or simply maintaining the standards they want for their workplace.

But 2026 can be different.

At EBN Facilities Management, we've supported countless businesses in transforming their FM approach. With over 80 years of combined experience, we know that setting clear, achievable goals at the start of the year creates momentum that lasts all year long.

This guide will help you set meaningful FM goals for 2026, measure your progress, and finally achieve the workplace standards you've been aiming for.

Why FM Goals Matter More Than You Think

Facilities management often operates in the background. When it works well, nobody notices. When it fails, everybody complains.

This invisibility means FM rarely gets the strategic attention it deserves. Most businesses don't have clear FM goals beyond basic expectations like keeping the place clean and fixing things when they break.

But strategic FM goals deliver real business benefits:

•       Improved employee wellbeing and productivity

•       Enhanced professional image for clients and visitors

•       Reduced operational costs through efficiency

•       Better environmental performance and ESG outcomes

•       Lower risk of compliance failures and emergency costs

•       More predictable budgets with fewer surprises

Setting clear FM goals transforms facilities management from a reactive cost centre into a strategic asset that actively supports your business objectives.

Review Where You Are: The 2025 FM Audit

Before setting new goals, you need to understand where you currently stand. Take an honest look at your 2025 FM performance.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Quality and Consistency

•       Were cleaning standards consistently high throughout the year?

•       Did you receive complaints from staff or visitors about cleanliness?

•       Were there visible quality improvements or did standards decline?

•       How many issues required follow-up or escalation?

Communication and Responsiveness

•       How quickly did your provider respond to issues?

•       Was communication proactive or did you have to chase updates?

•       Did problems get resolved the first time or require multiple attempts?

•       Were you kept informed about changes, absences, or schedule adjustments?

Value and Cost

•       Did you stay within your FM budget or face unexpected costs?

•       Were there hidden fees or surprise charges?

•       Did you feel you received good value for money?

•       Were emergency call-outs frequent or rare?

Strategic Alignment

•       Did your FM support your sustainability goals?

•       Was your provider aligned with your values around staff treatment?

•       Did FM contribute to a positive workplace culture?

•       Could you demonstrate FM performance to stakeholders or auditors?

Be brutally honest in this assessment. The gaps you identify become your opportunities for improvement in 2025.

Common FM Problems from 2025

These are the issues we hear most often from new clients:

•       Inconsistent quality that varies from week to week

•       High turnover of cleaning staff and lack of familiarity

•       Poor communication and slow response times

•       No proactive maintenance or quality checks

•       Unexpected costs and budget overruns

•       Lack of flexibility when needs change

•       No clear metrics or accountability

If you experienced any of these in 2025, your 2026 goals should directly address them.

Setting SMART FM Goals for 2026

Vague goals like improve cleanliness or reduce costs don't drive real change. You need specific, measurable objectives that can be tracked and achieved.

Use the SMART framework to create goals that actually work:

•       Specific: Clearly defined and focused

•       Measurable: Quantifiable with clear metrics

•       Achievable: Realistic given your resources

•       Relevant: Aligned with business objectives

•       Time-bound: Clear deadline for achievement

12 Essential FM Goals for 2026

Choose the goals most relevant to your situation. You don't need all of them, but you do need to commit fully to the ones you select.

Goal 1: Achieve Consistent Quality Standards

The Problem: Quality varies from week to week. Some days are great, others are disappointing.

SMART Goal: Achieve 95% or higher satisfaction rating on monthly quality audits throughout 2026.

How to Achieve It:

•       Implement monthly quality audits with documented scoring

•       Choose a provider with dedicated teams, not rotating staff

•       Establish clear standards and checklists for each area

•       Set up feedback loops with immediate corrective action

•       Review audit results quarterly and adjust as needed

How EBN Helps: Our monthly quality audits with detailed feedback and action points ensure consistent standards. We catch issues before they become problems.

Goal 2: Reduce Emergency Call-Outs

The Problem: You're constantly dealing with urgent issues and emergency situations that disrupt operations and cost extra.

SMART Goal: Reduce emergency FM call-outs by 75% compared to 2025.

How to Achieve It:

•       Switch from reactive to proactive maintenance approach

•       Schedule regular preventative maintenance

•       Implement regular equipment and facility checks

•       Address small issues before they become emergencies

•       Track incidents to identify patterns and root causes

How EBN Helps: Proactive planning and regular site inspections catch problems early. Our clients typically see emergency call-outs drop dramatically within the first three months.

Goal 3: Improve Communication and Responsiveness

The Problem: You're chasing your provider for updates. Issues take days to resolve. Nobody keeps you informed.

SMART Goal: Achieve 90% same-day response rate to all non-emergency issues, with resolution within 48 hours.

How to Achieve It:

•       Establish clear communication protocols and expectations

•       Set up direct contact lines to decision-makers

•       Implement regular check-in meetings or updates

•       Track response times and use data to drive improvements

•       Choose providers who prioritize client communication

How EBN Helps: We provide direct contact to our team, not call centres. Issues get acknowledged within hours and resolved quickly. You'll never feel ignored.

Goal 4: Control and Predict FM Costs

The Problem: FM costs keep surprising you. Hidden fees appear. Emergency work exceeds budget.

SMART Goal: Stay within 5% of planned FM budget throughout 2026, with no unexpected costs.

How to Achieve It:

•       Get transparent, itemized quotes with no hidden fees

•       Include contingency budget for genuine emergencies only

•       Regular maintenance reduces costly emergency repairs

•       Track spending monthly against budget

•       Review and renegotiate contracts annually

How EBN Helps: Complete transparency in pricing. No hidden costs. Our proactive approach means fewer expensive emergencies. You'll know exactly what you're paying and why.

Goal 5: Enhance Sustainability and Environmental Performance

The Problem: Your FM doesn't support environmental goals. You can't demonstrate sustainability to stakeholders or clients.

SMART Goal: Reduce FM environmental impact by 30% through waste reduction, eco-friendly products, and resource efficiency.

How to Achieve It:

•       Switch to certified eco-friendly cleaning products

•       Implement water-saving techniques and equipment

•       Improve waste segregation and recycling rates

•       Choose suppliers with environmental certifications

•       Track and report environmental metrics quarterly

How EBN Helps: Eco-friendly products, water conservation, waste management support, and sustainable practices are standard in our service. We can provide data for your ESG reporting.

Goal 6: Improve Employee Satisfaction with Workplace

The Problem: Staff complain about workplace cleanliness. Washrooms aren't maintained well. It affects morale.

SMART Goal: Achieve 85% or higher employee satisfaction with workplace cleanliness in annual staff survey.

How to Achieve It:

•       Survey staff about current cleanliness concerns

•       Address problem areas identified by employees

•       Increase cleaning frequency in high-use areas

•       Make it easy for staff to report issues

•       Track and respond to all feedback promptly

How EBN Helps: We listen to employee feedback and adjust our approach accordingly. Clean, well-maintained workplaces support staff wellbeing and productivity.

Goal 7: Build Stronger Provider Partnership

The Problem: Your FM provider feels transactional. There's no real relationship or understanding of your business.

SMART Goal: Establish quarterly business reviews with FM provider to align on goals, challenges, and improvements.

How to Achieve It:

•       Choose providers who value long-term relationships

•       Schedule regular strategic meetings, not just operational updates

•       Share business context so providers can anticipate needs

•       Collaborate on continuous improvement initiatives

•       Recognize and reward excellent service

How EBN Helps: We see our clients as partners, not just contracts. Regular reviews, open communication, and genuine investment in understanding your business are standard practice.

Goal 8: Ensure Full Compliance and Risk Management

The Problem: You're not confident your FM meets all health and safety requirements. Documentation is incomplete.

SMART Goal: Achieve 100% compliance with all relevant regulations and maintain complete audit-ready documentation.

How to Achieve It:

•       Conduct compliance audit to identify gaps

•       Ensure COSHH assessments for all cleaning products

•       Maintain up-to-date risk assessments

•       Verify proper insurance and certifications

•       Keep organized records accessible for audits

How EBN Helps: Full compliance is non-negotiable in our service. COSHH assessments, risk assessments, proper insurance, and complete documentation are standard. You can audit us anytime.

Goal 9: Support Your Company Values

The Problem: Your FM provider doesn't align with your values around fair employment or ethical practices.

SMART Goal: Partner with FM provider who demonstrably shares your values on staff treatment, sustainability, and ethical business.

How to Achieve It:

•       Include values alignment in provider selection criteria

•       Ask about staff wages, training, and development

•       Verify environmental and ethical certifications

•       Choose providers who invest in their people

•       Review supply chain ethics and practices

How EBN Helps: We're a London Living Wage employer committed to staff wellbeing through our Employee Recognition and Reward Programme. Fair employment and ethical practices aren't add-ons for us. They're fundamental.

Goal 10: Implement Data-Driven FM Management

The Problem: You have no metrics or data to assess FM performance. Everything is subjective.

SMART Goal: Establish 5 key FM metrics and track them monthly with quarterly performance reviews.

How to Achieve It:

•       Define metrics that matter to your business

•       Examples: quality audit scores, response times, budget variance, employee satisfaction, incident rates

•       Create simple tracking systems or dashboards

•       Review data regularly and use it to drive decisions

•       Share performance data with stakeholders

How EBN Helps: Monthly quality audits provide quantifiable data. We can track and report on the metrics that matter to your business, supporting your internal reporting needs.

Goal 11: Prepare for Growth and Change

The Problem: Your current FM setup can't scale with your business or adapt to changing needs.

SMART Goal: Establish FM framework that can scale up or down by 25% without service disruption.

How to Achieve It:

•       Choose providers with capacity to scale

•       Build flexibility into contracts

•       Maintain good communication about business changes

•       Plan FM needs alongside business planning

•       Test provider responsiveness to change requests

How EBN Helps: We adapt quickly to changing needs. Whether you're expanding, downsizing, or adjusting schedules, we work with you to maintain service quality through transitions.

Goal 12: Create Positive First Impressions

The Problem: Client visits or candidate interviews happen in spaces that don't reflect your professional standards.

SMART Goal: Maintain reception, meeting rooms, and client-facing areas at presentation-ready standard at all times.

How to Achieve It:

•       Identify all client-facing areas

•       Increase cleaning frequency in these priority zones

•       Implement quick touch-up protocols before important visits

•       Regular deep cleaning to maintain high standards

•       Monitor and adjust based on usage patterns

How EBN Helps: We understand that some areas need extra attention. Flexible scheduling and attention to priority zones ensure you're always ready for important visitors.

Creating Your 2025 FM Action Plan

Selecting goals is just the start. You need a concrete plan to achieve them.

Step 1: Choose Your Priority Goals

Don't try to tackle everything at once. Select three to five goals that address your biggest pain points and deliver the most value.

Consider:

•       Which problems caused the most issues in 2025?

•       What would have the biggest positive impact on your business?

•       What's realistically achievable with your resources?

•       What aligns with broader business priorities?

Step 2: Assess Your Current Provider

Can your current provider help you achieve these goals? Be honest.

Ask yourself:

•       Do they have the capability to deliver what you need?

•       Have they shown willingness to improve?

•       Are they open to new approaches or stuck in their ways?

•       Would switching providers accelerate your progress?

If your current provider can't or won't support your goals, the New Year is the perfect time to make a change. Don't let loyalty to an underperforming provider hold your business back.

Step 3: Set Quarterly Milestones

Break annual goals into quarterly targets:

Q1 (January to March): Foundation phase. Implement systems, establish baselines, begin tracking metrics.

Q2 (April to June): Optimization phase. Refine approaches based on data, address early challenges, build momentum.

Q3 (July to September): Acceleration phase. Full implementation, measurable improvements visible, continuous refinement.

Q4 (October to December): Consolidation phase. Sustain improvements, prepare for 2026, celebrate achievements.

Step 4: Assign Ownership and Accountability

Goals need owners. Who's responsible for each objective?

•       Internal owner to champion the goal

•       FM provider partner to deliver results

•       Regular check-ins to review progress

•       Clear escalation path if targets aren't being met

Step 5: Track and Adjust

Monitor progress monthly and adjust your approach based on results:

•       What's working well? Do more of it.

•       What's not working? Change your approach.

•       Are targets realistic? Adjust if needed.

•       What unexpected challenges emerged? Address them.

Flexibility is important. Goals guide direction, but your path to achieving them can adapt based on what you learn.

Is It Time to Change FM Providers?

If you struggled with FM in 2025, you might be wondering whether to work with your current provider or make a change.

Signs It's Time for a Change

•       Quality has declined over time despite feedback

•       Communication is consistently poor

•       They resist implementing improvements or changes

•       Hidden costs keep appearing

•       High turnover means you never see the same staff

•       They don't share your values around sustainability or staff treatment

•       You spend more time managing them than they save you

•       You dread calling them because response is so poor

If several of these apply, a provider change could be the fastest path to achieving your 2025 goals.

Why January Is the Perfect Time to Switch

•       Natural break point as contracts often align with calendar years

•       Fresh start mentality makes transitions smoother

•       New budgets allow for proper resource allocation

•       Full year ahead to build relationship and see results

•       Avoids disruption during busy business periods

How to Make a Smooth Transition

Switching providers doesn't have to be disruptive:

1.    Give proper notice to current provider

2.    Schedule consultations with potential new providers

3.    Be clear about what didn't work previously

4.    Look for providers who address your specific pain points

5.    Arrange site visits and detailed handover

6.    Plan transition period with overlap if needed

7.    Set clear expectations from day one

At EBN, we handle transitions smoothly. Our experience means we understand what information we need, how to minimize disruption, and how to get up to speed quickly.

Why Partner with EBN for Your 2026 FM Goals

At EBN Facilities Management, we don't just clean. We partner with businesses to create environments where people can thrive.

How We Support Your Goals

Consistent Quality: Monthly quality audits with documented feedback ensure standards never slip. You'll have the data to prove improvement.

Proactive Approach: We prevent problems rather than react to them. Emergency call-outs become rare when maintenance is properly planned.

Excellent Communication: Direct access to our team, rapid response times, and regular updates. You'll never feel ignored or in the dark.

Transparent Pricing: No hidden costs. Clear quotes. Predictable budgets. You'll know exactly what you're paying and why.

Sustainability Focus: Eco-friendly products, resource efficiency, and waste management support your environmental goals.

Values Alignment: London Living Wage employer committed to staff wellbeing. Our Employee Recognition and Reward Programme ensures motivated, loyal teams.

Data-Driven: Metrics, tracking, and reporting to support your performance management and stakeholder communication.

Flexible and Scalable: We adapt to your changing needs, whether expanding, contracting, or adjusting schedules.

Full Compliance: COSHH assessments, risk assessments, insurance, and certifications all properly maintained and audit-ready.

60-Day Guarantee: We're so confident in our service that if you're not satisfied within 60 days, you can exit without penalties. No risk, just results.

Our Experience Makes the Difference

We started our careers as cleaners ourselves. With over 80 years of combined experience, we understand facilities management from the ground up.

This isn't just a job to us. We genuinely care about creating environments where businesses and people can succeed. That dedication shows in everything we do.

Our clients include Square Enix, Margaret Howell, Prospect, The Warren, Acres, and Syrup Bar. They stay with us because we deliver on our promises consistently.

Take Action This January

New Year energy fades quickly. The businesses that achieve their goals are the ones that act in January while motivation is high.

Your Next Steps

1. Complete your 2025 FM audit this week

Be honest about what worked and what didn't. Document specific problems.

2. Choose three to five priority goals

Focus on the objectives that will deliver the most value for your business.

3. Assess whether your current provider can help

If not, schedule consultations with alternatives. EBN would love to discuss how we can support your goals.

4. Create your quarterly milestones

Break annual goals into achievable chunks with clear deadlines.

5. Start implementing immediately

Don't wait for perfect conditions. Begin now and refine as you go.

Let's Talk About Your 2026 FM Goals

If you're ready to transform your facilities management in 2026, we'd love to help.

Call: 020 3488 3685

Email: info@ebn-fm.com

Visit: www.ebn-fm.com

What we'll cover in your free consultation:

•       Your specific FM challenges and goals for 2026

•       How our approach addresses your pain points

•       What success would look like for your business

•       Transparent pricing with no obligations

•       Timeline and transition plan if you decide to proceed

•       Our 60-day satisfaction guarantee

There's no obligation and no pressure. We simply want to understand your situation and see if we're a good fit to help you achieve your goals.

Make 2026 Different

Another year of inconsistent cleaning, poor communication, and FM headaches? Or a year where your workplace supports your business, impresses your clients, and makes your employees feel valued?

The choice is yours. But the time to decide is now, in January, while energy is high and change feels possible.

Set your FM goals. Make your plan. Take action. And let this be the year your workplace finally matches your standards.

New year, new standards. Let's make it happen.

Driven by care, defined by quality.

About EBN Facilities Management

We're a team of four professionals who started our careers as cleaners. With over 80 years of combined experience, we understand facilities management from the ground up.

We partner with businesses across London to create clean, safe, sustainable workplaces where people can thrive. Our commitment to quality, transparency, and ethical practices sets us apart.

Our services:

•       Contract cleaning for offices, retail, hospitality, and hotels

•       Specialist services and deep cleaning

•       Waste management and recycling support

•       Compliance and quality auditing

What makes us different:

•       Monthly quality audits for consistent excellence

•       London Living Wage employer

•       Employee Recognition and Reward Programme

•       Eco-friendly products and sustainable practices

•       Transparent pricing with no hidden costs

•       60-day satisfaction guarantee

Trusted by: Square Enix, Margaret Howell, Prospect, The Warren, Acres, and Syrup Bar.

Learn more: www.ebn-fm.com